<figure id="attachment_418829" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1804px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-418829"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="41e94b41"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/03/f19a36386495f86268105b227aac84b6.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-418829" class="wp-caption-text">Her recently adopted dog, a Pomeranian-Poodle mix named &#8220;Sugar.&#8221; &#8220;No matter where I go, she follows me, and it’s so soothing.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
<h2>&#8220;I was able to become a more positive version of myself thanks to my work in gravure.&#8221;</h2>
Translation:
――Your photo book Memory was published to celebrate your 20th birthday. After five years since your debut at 15, what do you feel has changed the most?
&#8220;Through various experiences, I’ve had more moments where I can feel my growth. Especially in terms of my personality, there has been a change. I think I’ve become brighter and more positive. I used to be shy and not comfortable with attention. I used to wonder if this job was right for me. But now, I can actively communicate with others about what I want to do, like &#8216;I want to shoot something like this&#8217; or &#8216;I want to try this kind of work.&#8217; I think becoming a more positive person is thanks to my gravure work.&#8221;
――What is your favorite outfit from this shoot?
&#8220;I don’t usually take the outfits from shoots home, but I really loved the coral green halter neck swimsuit, so I was given it as a special gift. I think it’s a memorable piece in the photo book, so I hope everyone will pay attention to it.&#8221;
――Was there anything memorable from the locations in Australia and Ibaraki?
&#8220;I was so happy to be able to shoot with dolphins in Australia! I love aquariums, especially dolphin shows. When the location was decided, I jokingly asked, &#8216;Do you think we could take a photo with dolphins?&#8217; and it actually happened. The dolphins came up really close, and I even got to feed them. It felt like a dream.
Speaking of Australia, it’s known for its Aussie beef, so on the last day of the shoot, the whole team went to eat steak. There was a showcase with various cuts of meat, and you could choose what you wanted. I asked for &#8216;the best one!&#8217; and was so impressed by how delicious it was. Then one of the staff said, &#8216;That’s Kobe beef,&#8217; and I was like, &#8216;What!?'&#8221; (laughs)
――How was the shoot in your hometown, Ibaraki?
&#8220;It was so nostalgic. In high school, I used to wake up at 3 or 4 a.m., take a one-car train, and commute for over two hours each way. When we shot in Kamogawa, Chiba, it took over five hours to travel back and forth. Looking back, I think I did really well during those days. I wanted to try something new, so I joined the archery club, but it turned out to be much tougher than I imagined. 
 In the first year, I wasn’t allowed to hold a bow. I had to start by sitting in seiza and strengthening my mind, learning posture and breathing techniques. But because of that, I feel like I developed concentration and patience. I liked studying, so on the train, I would solve kanji drills. During the shooting of my first photo book, my editor even helped me study. I approached the shoot with a return to the basics mindset, thinking about my high school days.&#8221;
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="About her acting career"></div>
<h2>&#8220;I want to try playing various roles without being confined to any specific mold.&#8221;</h2>
<h2></h2>
――You&#8217;ve recently been active as an actress, what do you find difficult or attractive about acting?
&#8220;Acting is difficult because there&#8217;s no right answer. Just one change in how you say a line can completely alter the impression, so I&#8217;m constantly experimenting with how to express it best. But it&#8217;s really fascinating being able to become a person completely different from myself, and I want to try even more roles. My role model is Kanna Hashimoto (26). I’ve always loved anime and manga, and I watch many live-action adaptations. Hashimoto has appeared in several live-action adaptations, like &#8216;Kingdom,&#8217; and what I admire about her is not just her cuteness but how she fully commits to every role, no matter what. It&#8217;s really cool. I also want to try playing various roles without being confined to any particular mold!&#8221;
――What kind of projects would you like to be part of?
&#8220;I would love to be in a horror movie! I’ve always liked ghost stories and even use them as background noise when I sleep (laughs). While ghost stories are great, I’m especially drawn to the kind of horror that explores human madness—those slow, escalating tensions. I want to try dark roles too, and I’m also curious about how the set of a horror movie works, so I’d love to experience it someday.&#8221;
――Since you’ve turned 20, have you felt any moments when you realize you’ve become an adult?
&#8220;I drank alcohol! I was able to drink more than I thought (laughs). The first time I drank was a Calpis Sour when I went to eat ramen with my mom on my birthday night. I thought alcohol would taste more bitter, but it was surprisingly easy to drink. Recently, my favorite is Cassis Soda, but it’s not always available at places. I want to try different drinks, but in moderation so it doesn’t affect my work (laughs).&#8221;
――What are your goals for the future?
&#8220;I feel like there’s still so much to learn. I want to continue challenging myself with new things, and I’d love to perform on stage where I can feel the live reactions from the audience. In the movie &#8216;V. MARIA,&#8217; which releases on April 1, I play my first leading role. It’s a huge challenge for me, so I would be thrilled if people watch it!&#8221;
<figure id="attachment_418828" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-418828"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="806b71b7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/03/96294d37ac8b3fad2352beed1d8e660b.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-418828" class="wp-caption-text">&#8220;Becoming a more positive person is thanks to gravure!&#8221; Peace sign during a break from the shoot. Kikuchi, who used to be shy about being photographed, now shows great enthusiasm for various types of work.</figcaption></figure>
Kikuchi Hina, 20 years old
Born in 2004, Ibaraki Prefecture. She won the Miss Weekly Shonen Magazine title at the &#8220;Miss Magazine 2020&#8221; competition and debuted in gravure at the age of 15. In May 2024, she became an exclusive model for the fashion magazine non-no. Her latest photo book, memory, is currently being well-received.
 
<h2>My recent best &#8220;Relaxing time&#8221;: 
&#8220;Walking my beloved dog&#8221;</h2>
Walking is my best healing time. My dog used to be a brownish color, kind of like brown sugar, but I heard it would turn white as it grew, so I named it &#8220;Sugar.&#8221; However, it’s becoming more like the color of raw sugar instead of white. Maybe I should just change the name to &#8220;Zarame&#8221; (laughs). Taking care of the dog while working is tough, but it motivates me to keep going for Sugar, and when I get home, Sugar greets me so happily, which is truly healing.
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<div data-friday-gold-link-url="https://friday.gold/gravure/article/326023" data-friday-gold-link-title="Kikuchi Himena, a handsome goddess more dazzling than platinum!" data-friday-gold-link-excerpt="She is a 20-year-old &quot;sold-out queen&quot; who is gaining more and more momentum! We present you with some of the gems from her latest photo book &quot;memory&quot;, which has sold over 30,000 copies in its first printing! Sales have been booming since its release! The new world she has created in the vast land of Australia." data-friday-gold-link-thumbnail-wide="https://assets.friday.gold/friday-wp-production-assets/app/uploads/2025/03/240926_21302-19082157731916.jpg/v/crop-faces:width=256,height=144/format:type=webp?Expires=4102444800&amp;Key-Pair-Id=K2H5GZZHVJCN4V&amp;Signature=oXlZR-91BgLR7J8~49qZ4rje-Lha0IhKStivK45Py3m0nlmlJICDdBsSdkvOA0CNa3nAxLj~FmqrIlMnRTpngDDPn42ydMiJZmSkboRXSrAWTmq8mjExuQN-2mOBtAXb9l8ZfbEMmSaYBnAV~9X8ZgpnTs3h44mtzxOx8ZtK0u-Y86FB~P6SfS38jjJMfs9Zn8Ltf-jET9SHCeWyOvvFy2aRAnFZ7ImdrkV1F-qZi0m9AT0G9eU0S08SCaVbAhKuk52cIqLDGIFxuMeO2W9QCuVmISg~Otvucu15~8G87WDYG88wJ-BqTjKPxt233FaHi~WlAcORFAR8bWnWiIkvPQ__" data-friday-gold-link-thumbnail-square="https://assets.friday.gold/friday-wp-production-assets/app/uploads/2025/03/240926_21302-19082157731916.jpg/v/crop-faces:width=105,height=105/format:type=webp?Expires=4102444800&amp;Key-Pair-Id=K2H5GZZHVJCN4V&amp;Signature=F1rx2L0H1KzpkkgJT3YxLK1zPZVIo6iZh~bj5bzHtvclueBLwuZRMMFjVIgV6JcJw0VGIlxag4FhmStQxm79an-BSA9aZTF2P730OH9z2JhH~CL4a31JOj8Qw2JdtT9qklCrf~IY458~0B6jePc4sLOCEyUJcNXAiSwHKunJqUZ9VugEuNO5LJZbd1HDgCpdxQGMctSiGfWfD3ldBilnyuYaSMMXHrXslqn2WdCxJW2VEwmVmux3XDfOtQj1DYKA3FJFIJacJFCBbVj9JZ7MNuJoA1PzQGTbUyjf17xyRMtnHukHEKzmOgCqw0rnyncKeaLmmp6XunxJ2WxacWRWsg__"></div>
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From the April 4/11, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”

 Dai Matsumoto

 Hina Kikuchi, Reiwa's strongest "sold-out queen," has released her long-awaited latest photo book! The rising star, who is making great strides not only as a gravure model but also as a model and actress, talks about episodes during the photo shoot and her goals for the future.

 Reiwa's strongest and most sold-out queen has released her long-awaited latest photo book! The rising star, who is making great strides not only in gravure but also as a model and actress, talks about episodes during the photo shoot and her goals for the future.

Hina Kikuchi Reveals Her First Drink was Calpis Sour!

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